Manufacturing

Documents pertaining to manufacturing come from what is sometimes called the “Golden Age of Capitalism”, a period of unprecedented economic expansion during which the United States dominated global manufacturing. As the reports show, motivational research was in demand from a variety of industries – steel, machinery, glass, etc. Some reports looked at everyday consumer attitudes towards a manufactured product. For example, a report on home canning discovers the “rich and emotional experience” felt by people who take part in the process, A creative research memo on home canning and Kerr jars and lids. Other reports show the industry’s increasing concern with its public image. A creative problem analysis and proposal for a motivational research study to determine the present personality of the United States Steel Corporation, for example, asserts the importance of “corporate image” to a company’s success.

As in other industries, manufacturing companies approached Ernest Dichter when they wanted to trial new inventions or innovations, as seen in A creative problem analysis and a proposal for a motivational research study on the introduction of no-return bottles in the soft drink industry. Perhaps the most unusual report, commissioned by the National Association of Manufacturers, sought to explore the challenges faced by industry in converting America to the metric system, Metrication – challenge to American industry: a preliminary outline of a proposal for a motivational research study.

Addition to proposal New Holland machinery 21 Jun 1955 Letter New Holland
American Can 28 Feb 1952 Memorandum
Re: American Can 02 Jul 1952 Letter
American Can Company 03 Apr 1953 Report
Appendix to executive summary for glass container manufacturers institute study on packaging beer in returnable bottles, one-way bottles and cans Aug 1958 Report
Appendix to report on the New Holland hay baler Report New Holland
Bericht zu einer Motivstudie über das Image der Alusuisse 1970 Report Alusuisse
Bericht zu einer Motivstudie über das Image der Alusuisse Jun 1970 Report Alusuisse
A creative analysis and proposal for a motivational research study of problems connected with the Corning Glass Center Dec 1956 Proposal Corning
A creative memo on New Holland hay baler twine Jul 1956 Memorandum New Holland
A creative problem analysis and proposal for a motivational research study dealing with the over-all sales and advertising problems of the Jervis B. Webb, Co. Dec 1956 Proposal
A creative problem analysis and proposal for a motivational research study for the Corning Glass Center Nov 1960 Report Corning
A creative problem analysis and proposal for a motivational research study for the Corning Glass Center Oct 1960 Proposal Corning
A creative problem analysis and proposal for a motivational research study of problems faced by Allied Chemical & Dye Corp May 1957 Proposal
A creative problem analysis and a proposal for a motivational research study on the introduction of no-return bottles in the soft drink industry Dec 1960 Proposal
A creative problem analysis and proposal for a motivational research study to determine the present personality of the United States Steel Corporation Feb 1957 Proposal United States Steel
A creative research memo on home canning and Kerr jars and lids Jan 1955 Memorandum Kerr
Draft proposal for a motivational research study of sales and advertising problems of General Electric distribution transformers May 1956 Proposal GE
Excerpts from the motivational study of soft drink containers 14 Feb 1963 Report
Executive summary of the pilot motivational research study on beer packaging / one-way bottles and returnables as compared with cans, among beer distributors Aug 1958 Report
Final interim report on New Holland PX unit May 1957 Report New Holland
First progress report on a motivational study of the advertising problems of Diolen - Erster Fortschrittsbericht zu einer Motivstudie über die Werbeprobleme von Diolen Jun 1959 Report Diolen
Glass Containers Manufacturers Institute 10 Jun 1958 Letter
How to make Hepworths employees more efficient and happier - reducing turnover and absenteeism Apr 1970 Report
How to penetrate the prejudice and restore the true image of bottled beer, vol. I Dec 1958 Report
How to penetrate the prejudice and restore the true image of bottled beer, vol. II Dec 1958 Report
Ideas for the Bicycle Institute 26 Mar 1953 Report
Institutional advertising for glass containers in the United States Jun 1966 Report
Interim report on New Holland PX unit Apr 1957 Report New Holland
International Harvester as a part of American culture 29 Jun 1951 Report International Harvester
International trucks 22 May 1952 Memorandum
Letter dealer-company relationships 1958 Letter New Holland
Letter memo on hay baler interviews to New Holland Machine Company 23 Jul 1959 Letter; Memorandum New Holland
Letter re: Corning Glass 02 Feb 1955 Letter Corning
Letter re: New Holland machinery 31 May 1957 Letter New Holland
Letter-proposal 07 Mar 1958 Letter New Holland
Letter-proposal re: hay baler 17 Apr 1959 Letter New Holland
Letter-proposal re: hay baler 09 Jun 1959 Letter New Holland
Letter: New Holland Machine Company 05 Sep 1957 Letter New Holland
Memorandum on a consulting agreement between New Holland Machine Company and the Institute for Motivational Research, Inc. Memorandum New Holland
A memorandum on New Holland operation in France Sep 1958 Memorandum New Holland
Metrication – challenge to American industry: a preliminary outline of a proposal for a motivational research study Jan 1972 Proposal
Motiv- und Marketingstudie über Haushalteinwickler, Speziell Alufolien in Deutschland Sep 1967 Report
Motivational research for Jervis B. Webb, Co. 12 Nov 1956 Report
A motivational research study of the litter problem and its relation to the glass industry in Maryland, Vermont and Michigan, vol. I Jun 1962 Report
A motivational research study of the litter problem and its relation to the glass industry in Maryland, Vermont and Michigan, vol. II Jun 1962 Report
A motivational research study of Package Engineering's readers and advertisers Sep 1967 Report Package Engineering
A motivational research study of Package Engineering's readers and advertisers - executive summary Mar 1968 Report Package Engineering
A motivational research study of the role of color and of company-dealer relationship in the sale of New Holland farm machinery Oct 1955 Report New Holland
A motivational research study on alternate designs of a 16-ounce no-return beer bottle Dec 1961 Report
A motivational research study: the PX Unit: its potential role in dealer- New Holland Machine Company relationships Nov 1957 Report New Holland
A motivational study on the introduction of the no-return bottle to soft drink bottlers, retailers and consumers Nov 1961 Report
New Holland Machine Company 15 May 1958 Letter New Holland
The new PX power unit: its sales and marketing potentials: a motivational research study Jun 1957 Report New Holland
No-return bottle legislation 09 Jan 1962 Letter
No-return bottles in the soft drink industry 24 Feb 1961 Letter
No-return-bottle legislation 15 May 1961 Letter
Outline for an interim report on the introduction of the no-return bottle in the soft drink industry (based on first-phase interviewing) Feb 1961 Report
Pilot motivational research study on Darlan hand knitting yarns Mar 1957 Report B. F. Goodrich
Preliminary final report on the introduction of the no-return bottle in the soft drink industry Jun 1961 Report
Preliminary proposal for a psychological study of the personality of the American Brake Shoe Company Jan 1948 Proposal
The present role and future potential of the hay baler a motivational research study Oct 1959 Report New Holland
A problem analysis and proposal for a motivational research study on the corporate image of Cerro De Pasco Nov 1959 Proposal Cerro De Pasco
Problems of dealer activation and recruitment in the present farm implement climate a motivational research study Aug 1958 Report New Holland; International Harvester; John Deere; Ford
Progress report of the no-return bottle study 26 May 1961 Letter
A proposal for a continuing program to determine the unsatisfied needs of the American public Mar 1971 Report
Proposal for an image study of Package Engineering Nov 1964 Proposal Package Engineering
Proposal for a motivational research study designed to clearly delineate the problem areas that should be thoroughly explored by the B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company prior to making final marketing and advertising plans for Darlan Jun 1956 Proposal B. F. Goodrich
A proposal for a motivational research study of consumer attitudes toward disposable cups and plates: paper, plastic, paper-plastic combinations and "other synthetics" Apr 1965 Proposal Dixie
A proposal for a motivational research study on alternate designs of a 16-ounce no-return beer bottle Jun 1961 Proposal
A proposal for a motivational study on the growing trend of anti-no-return-bottle legislation Jun 1961 Proposal
Revised proposal for a motivational research study of prospective advertisers and current recipients Nov 1966 Proposal Package Engineering
The role of the NAM in increasing trade with former "off-limits" countries: preliminary outline of a proposal for a motivation research study Jan 1972 Proposal
Schlussbericht zu einer Motivstudie über das Image von Schott Apr 1968 Report Schott
Some notes on motivation patterns affecting industrial purchase decisions by engineers Sep 1956 Memorandum; Report
Study letter re: New Holland PX chassis 05 Apr 1957 Report New Holland
Vorschlag zu einer Analyse des Alusuisse-Image 1969 Proposal Alusuisse
Vorschlag zu einer Motiv- und Marketingstudie für Scotchgard 07 Oct 1969 Proposal Scotchgard; Scotch
Vorschlag zu einer Motiv- und Marketingstudie über Haushalteinwickler, Speziell Alufolien, in Deutschland 12 Jun 1967 Proposal
Vorschlag zu einer Motivstudie über das ideale Image eines Druckereibetriebes (und seine Dienstleistungen) 20 Mar 1969 Proposal
Vorschlag zu einer Motivstudie über das Image des Jenaer Glaswerk Schott & Gen. - Die psychologischen Voraussetzungen… c.1965 Proposal Schott
Vorschlag zu einer Motivstudie über das Image des Jenär Glaswerkes Schott & Gen. - Die psychologischen Voraussetzungen für die Bildung eines homogeneren und starkeren Firmengesichtes und einer optimalen Marketing- und Public-Relations-Strategie des Hauses Schott Jan 1966 Proposal Schott
Vorschlag zu einer Motivstudie über die Werbeprobleme von Diolen Feb 1959 Proposal Diolen
Zwischenbericht zu einer Motivstudie über das Image des Jenär Glaswerkes Schott & Gen Jan 1967 Report Schott